Colt & Gray
Chipotle Cracker, Crème Friache, Beet Puree
Housemade Charcuterie – 2-yr Prosciutto Colt & Gray, Coppa, Porchetta Di Testa, Black Pepper Chicken Mousse, Pickles, Crostini, Mustard, Fennel Chutney
Hudson Valley Foie Gras – Housemade Brioche, Luxardo Cherry Pan Sauce, Chocolate Pistachio Tuile
Grapefruit-Lemon Grass Sorbet
Potato Gnocchi – Roasted Winter Squash, Shallots, Brown Butter, Crispy Sage
Squab – Sauteed Breast, Braised Legs, Prunes, Wilted Chard Leaves and Pickled Stems, Wild Mushrooms, Roasted Tomato Braising Jus
Colorado Lamb – Loin, Sausage, Pickled Parsnip, Sauteed Carrots, Wilted Spinach, Green Curry
Espresso, Soda, Angostura Bitters, Orange Peel / Double Espresso on Ice
Banana Financier – Hazelnut Cake, Braised Banana, Hazelnut Praline, Chocolate Ice Cream, Banana Ring
Sticky Toffee Pudding – Bourbon Ice Cream, Toffee Sauce
Orange Cookie, Chocolate Pudding, Caramel
Told by many of a house charcuterie program worth investigating, in addition to a menu not for lack in terms of personal favorite plates, it was through Public Relations that a degustation was arranged at Colt & Gray, the food hitting several high notes throughout the evening with service that is charming, though a bit less ‘formal’ than one might anticipate.
Toqued and owned by Nelson Perkins, a Colorado native who actually came to the kitchen later in life than most, Colt & Gray has been a mainstay of the Denver dining scene since mid-2009 and with a sleek and stylish layout centered around the popular bar plus floor to ceiling glass wine room the informal ‘steakhouse’ feel is avoided through the use of several rustic flourishes, not the least of which include paintings by local artists as well as a fully functional fireplace.
Trained in several highly touted kitchens, the most notable of which include a stint at Dan Barber’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Perkins brings a strong dedication to ingredient quality to a menu that is familiar yet wide-ranging, his focus on domestic butchery noteworthy to those in search of local game, the more esoteric cuts offered alongside a collection of appetizers, salads, sides and steaks.
Served by a young woman most recently a nearby barista, her smiling conversation welcomed as the meal unfolded somewhat slowly, dinner began with a smoky little canapé before launching into a plate of housemade cured meats, the two-year old Prosciutto and pan-seared “Porchetta Di Testa” both reference standard bites while creamy chicken liver and coppa were also well crafted, the complimentary pickles and aromatic chutney perfect for cleansing the palate, even for somewhat who generally prefers something sweet.
Partially self selecting the courses, a fixed $100 cost presenting a modest deal even though I’d have generally preferred smaller portions and more plates, Chef Perkins’ Foie Gras was one case where I was happy to eat a full helping, the exterior caramelized to a light crunch while the center was as soft as pudding, the rich sapor finding its foil in Luxardo Cherry Pan Sauce and an elegant Cocoa tuile.
Opting against wine and therefore happy to see sorbet wash the palate before tasting tender potato dumplings that shined amidst winter squash, brown butter and sage, the meals most memorable course soon arrived in the form of a whole Squab in two preparations, the breast lightly sauteed just past rare with the legs braised and crispy, the combination of juicy prunes, pickled chard, and mushrooms all working in harmony with braising Jus to create a flavor far greater than the sum of its parts.
Not foolish enough to pass up locally raised Lamb from a kitchen with such a passion for its proteins, both the loin and housemade sausage were richly flavored atop a medley of local produce tinged in curry, Colt & Gray’s signature Sticky Toffee Pudding every bit as good as the rumors while the Banana Financier was also quite delicious, though visually compromised by an oblong ring and melting ice cream due to a lengthy delay in its delivery and the nearby fireplace’s heat.
www.coltandgray.com
